Wood-shaping machine



Dec. 27, 1938. w. M. WHITNEY ET AL WOOD SHAPING MACHINE 5 sheets-sheet 1 Original Filed July 11, 1934 IMHLIL INVENTOR. MMI'ZLUEY ATTO EY w. zw

Dec. 27, 1938, w. M. WHITNEY ETAL 2,141,631

WOOD SHAPING MACHINE Original Filed Ju ly 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. WMW/HLHEJ fl. W Hazzzaa Dgc .w. M. WHITNEY ET AL WOOD SHAPING MACHINE Original Filed Jilly '11, 1934 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR- WMW/zifingy flWH'azuBs OOOuo Patented Dec. 27, 1938 I WOOD-[SHAPING MACHINE William M. Whitney and Austin-' winawes, "Winchendon, Mass., assignorsto' Baxter D. Whitney &- Son, Inc., Winchendon, Mass., a

, corporation of Massachusetts Refiled for abandoned applicat on Serial Nb]. 734,632, July 11, 1934. This application Septe nber 2 1936, Serial No. 10 2,732 v a 5 Claims; (01. 144- -145):

This application is refiled for. abandoned application No; 734,632, filed July 11, 1934.

'f This invention relates to wo od working ma"- chines and more particularly'to that type of such machines now generally known as shapers, asexemplified in the patent to Sawyer No. 1,567,865, dated December 29, 1925.

In machines of the above mentioned type a rotary 'cutteriacts upon the work blank whichis itself mounted upon or secured to a work carrier or form running in contact with a guide or collar concentric with the cutter spindle andfed past the cutter by engagement between a sprocket rotated concentric with the spindle and engaging a sprocket chain on the work'carri-er.

The workcarrier or form, as heretofore constructed has been normally under the influence of a weight orsiinilar mechanical device for holding the work carrier or form against the guide or collar, and as the work carrier or form is rotated at less speed than the jcutter shaft and has a varying contour it. has been given permissive movement towardsand from'the guide or collar concentric with the cutter spindle. v One oftheobjects of the present invention is to provide fluid actuatedmeans such as'air under pressure for moving and holding th-e'work carrier or form toward and in engagement with the guide orcollar and yet permit the varying movements of the work carrier or form toward and from the cutter as prescribed by its contour. I

Y Another object of theinvention is to provide an improved clamping member for the work form and pneumatic controlling means therefor.

" The invention and novel features thereof will best be made clear from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings of one preferred form thereof. H

In the drawings: 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a double spindle powe'r'feed shaper, one of'the work carriers or forms being shown in operative position'atthe right ofFig. 1, 'whi le'at the left the workcarrier or form is omitted to show the construction of the Work carrier slide.

-Figure '2' is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the cutter assembly mechanisms, and I "Figure 3 is'a fragmentary plan View of 'the machine with parts omitted showing the 1 work carrier slide. V f 7 *Thmachine frame maybe of any-usual or appropriate character for the support of the operating parts and as shown comprises the'base portion 1 from which rise the columns 2' to which the table 3 is connected.

Th ,t 31.15, r eaiw th the u d lo '4 for the support of a slide 5, it being understood that in the 'illustrated' machine'these parts are duplicatedp I v Mounted on the machine frame, as shown, is the cutter spindle 6 to which a cutter l is secured and rotary movement is. imparted to thecutter shaft or spindle through appropriate driving .'means which in'the present instance is shown as a motor 8 directly on the spindle 6 and'belowthe table 3. The details of the 'parts' sojfar described may be varied indefinitelyv and vas they are now well known in the art further elucidation thereof appears unnecessaryfi v i u I Connected to the sprocket assembly and concentric with thecutter shaft or spindle Bis the guide or collar 9 .against'which the work carrier or fornr EWhears yieldingly during the cutting operation, and since the cutter shaft o'rspindle 6 is rotated at highspeed, it is desirable that the work carrier ,or form shall be given its progressive movement as defined byithe contour thereof by independent means and at a slower rate of speed. As this isa feature well known in the art it will only'be necessary to refer to the fact. that the work carrieror formis provided with a sprocket chain l'l ,jwhichjis s'ecuredto the work carrier or form and engages a sprocket l 2 which'may be rotated through a train of mechanism l3 at any desired speedffrom any convenient part of the mac e Thework carrier slide 5 is provided with a stud and roller M which is adapted to engage an opening l5 in the bottom of the work carrier or form, the 'construction being such that as the latter is moved in'accordance with the required conditions'itturns about th'e stud and roller l4 mountedon the work carrier slide.

As hereinbefore, noted the present invention comprehends fluid actuatedmeans for moving the work carrier slide 5 and the work carrieriowards and from operative relation with the guide roller 9, and as one-means to this end the fluid actuated means comprises av cylinder I 6 which, as indicated in the drawings, may bemounted on the table 3 in fixed position below the work carrier Operating within the cylinder I6 is a piston I! from which extends thepiston rod l8 having its end at l9 connected to a downwardly extending member 29 securedto the 'work carrier slide.

The cylinder l6 has the two fluid passages 2! and 22, one at-each end of the cylinder and such fluid passages are connected by pipes 23 and 24 to a four-way valve 25 which may be of any usual and well known construction, the efiect being that upon manipulation of the valve to one of its positions the fluid pressure may be admitted to the cylinder l6 at the outer'end thereof through the pipe 23 and exhausted at the opposite endof the piston orcylinder.with the result that the' -work slide- 5. and the work carrier l0 mounted thereon will be moved toward operative position into engagement with the guide 9.

The fluid which preferably is air under pressure may be supplied through a pipe2'6-and transmitted therefrom to either. of: the. members of. the double shaper through the; connection:- 21.

Fig. 1.

Inasmuch as when fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinder l6 throughthe, pipe 2,3 ,and,the exhaust has been established, t'o'the pipe 2"4.by the valve described, it follows; that thepiston in the cylinder will be given a rapid movement to carry the slide 5 and the work carri'enor-forminto operative. position. with the guide .9,- and in the absenceof. any means ,toprevent the work carrier or form'- fromstrik ngthe guides with an undesirable force or shock which mightir'esult in injury to. the,rparts,, means,are hereinpr'ovid'ed for slowing. upthepi'stdn movement and, oonsee quently the movement of; the work. carrier or form as itapproaches the. guide 9.,

As shownin they present instance of the invention the, piston-rod,l'81withihth: cylinder lBis proyid'edwith, a valve or.cushio'ning-.-stop 28 which isor maybe loosely mounteduontherpiston rod within 7 the cylinder, as indicated, and interposed between the valve or cushioning. s'topland the pistonisa yielding member, such as aspring 29'. The cushioning stop or valve 28 iso'f such dimene sion that itwillpartiallyg close the exhaust open-. i'ng.22. at the ,1e' ft.-of,the';cy 1inder, Fig.- 2,. as-the work carrier or .form approaches its operative position, with the. resultthat while-the movement of the work carrieror form is at first rapidunder theimpulse of .thefluid' pressure admitted through the pipe 23} to the cylinder, such, rapid. movement isv modified orchecked asthe valve. or cushe iohingstop contacts with the. end .of .the cylinder and partially covers .the opening 22.

It. maybe desirable atlt'imes V to provide a reservoir foreach of the fluid conduitsorpipes, such for instance as indicated in dotted lines at 30 and 3|, and itwill be. noted .that iromthesupply pipe 26 and connection 21' the fluid pressure will be conductedby. the piping connectionsfiland 331 respectively tothe reservoirs .3'0' and, 3|. This provision. of the. reservoirs. will not always be necessary .but in the practical developmentv of the present invention theyare found to be preferable.

From the construction described it will be -noted that when the work carrier. or. form has. been sup.- plied with thework to be, cut,. the four-way valve 25. will be operated as .bythe footof the attendant to cause a rapid movement of the slide 5 and working, carrier'or, form towardits operative relation into contact. with the guide 9,, and in order to .checksuc'hrapid movement and cushion the contact between the workcarrier-or form and guide 9, the-present inventionprovides a-practical and eflicient means to secure contact between the Work carrier or form and. guidewithou-tshock.

Another important features of the invention consistsin a= fluid operated clamp-for-the work which consists of -.a cylinder 34 in which reciprocates the piston 35, the lowerend portion having a; shoe or bearing 36' which is adapted to engage andmrest upon the work 31 mounted-upon thework carrier or form.

Connected to the cylinder 34 above the piston 35 is the fluid inlet connection 38 which leads to the four-way valve 25 and through which fluid pressure may be furnished at the same time as the work carrier or form is being moved by such fluid -pressureinto its operative. relationwith the uide In the connection 38 there is provided a controlling valve 38 by means of which the supply of fluid under pressure to the clamping member may-bereg'ulated. By means of this valve 38* the clam-ping pressure may be applied or released faster or-slowerwhen the Valve 25 is actuated by the operator to operative or inoperative position.

Extending from-the piston 35 is a rod 39 having threadedztov its upper end the adjusting nuts 40. between which and the topof the cylinder is interposed-a spring 4|, the construction being such that under the action of the fluid pressure the -p'istori-may be moved downwardly the distance necessary to engage the work, and whenthe fluid pressure=is.remove'd from the. clamp the spring 4.l.will a ct through the nuts 40 to. raise the workclamp. By adjustment ofthe nuts 40 the downward pressureex'ertedfbythe spring 4| maybe widely. varied. The resultant pressure exerted by the fluid upon the piston 35 and upon the work may..thereiore beefli'ciently. controlled.

Thecylinder 34 has .an opening 42fwhich may be utilized as an exhaust port below the piston andalsofor lubricatingpurposes. and the barrel portion of the piston .43 may be prevented from rotative movement by .a key 44.

From. the construction described it will be apparent that when .the'. four-wayvalve is manipulatedto-move the. Work, carrier or form into its operative relation with the guide 9 that fluid pressure ma-y. be. transmitted tothework clamp to causethe latter toengage the work. slightly before the work. carrier or formhas reached the end of its. stroke and before the cutter! has contacted with thework. This is because a much larger volume of,fiuid ,isrequiredto move the pis-. ton I1 and advance. thework. form than is required .to depress the clamp 36. When fluid pressure. is admitted tooperativelyposition the work carrier orform it.is simultaneously transmitted to the work. clamp, but will .flr'st engage thework and remain in such engagement under such; fluid pressure. as the work carr'ier or form moves to and finally reaches its operative position.

I It may-be desirable at times, in accordance with the character. of the work to betreated, that it be secured .irom relative movement; of the work carrienorl form and-thisis readily accomplished by pins45 exte'ndingupwardly from the work carrier.- or formandIengaged in openings in the work 31 itself.

In adapting the present invention-to the treatment of work ,of-- different dimensions, the work carryingslide 5 is provided with a number of openings46, best shown in Fig. 3, any one of which openings may-beengaged by the stud and roller l4.- Inother words, when the work is of large dimensions the connection between the work carrier and-slide 5-may .be adjusted into any one of theopenings 46in accordance with the size or character of work. Likewise, the member 20 which connects the piston l8 with the slide 5 may be connected to the slide in any one of the several openings, in order to harmonize such connection with the size of the work to be treated.

The work clam-p, as indicated in Fig. 2, may be supported'from a-column 48-secured to the table 3 and, as shown, the connection consistsof an arm 49 which may be either integral with the cylinder 34 or otherwise secured thereto and as it may be desirable at times to have the work clamp engage the work close to or farther from the edge thereof the arms 49 are provided with openings 50, any one of which openings may be engaged by the clamping bolt 5|. The column 48 may also support a bearing 52 for the upper extended end of the cutter spindle 6.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wood working machine, the combination of a supporting table, a rotary cutter and work guide, a slide mounted on the table, a work carrier connected to the slide, fluid actuated means connected to the slide for moving the work carrier into engagement with the guide for the cutting operation and for withdrawing it from cutting position, said means comprising a cylinder extending in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said slide having a fluid passage at each end, a piston between the two fluid passages connected to the slide, and means for controlling the admission of fluid pressure to one end of the cylinder and opening the exhaust at the other end of the cylinder to cause the work carrier to be moved to cutting position and then reversing the fluid pressure and exhaust to withdraw the work carrier or form from cutting position.

2. In a wood working machine, the combination of a supporting table, a rotary cutter and work guide, a slide mounted on the table, a work carrier connected to the slide, fluid actuated means connected to the slide for moving the work carrier into engagement with the guide for the cutting operation and for withdrawing it from cutting position, said means comprising a cylinder extending in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said slide having a fluid passage at each end, a piston between the two fluid passages connected to the slide, means for controlling the admission of fluid pressure to one end of the cylinder and opening the exhaust at the other end of the cylinder to cause the work carrier to be moved to cutting position and then reversing the fluid pressure and exhaust to withdraw the work carrier or form from cutting position, and manually controlled fluid pressure means forcing said work and work carrier against said table.

3. In a wood working machine, the combination of a supporting table, a rotary cutter and work guide, a slide mounted on the table, a work carrier mounted on the slide, fluid actuated means connected to the slide for moving said slide and work carrier toward the cutter and guide and comprising a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a fluid passage connected to each end of the cylinder, 2. piston rod, a valve mounted on the piston rod, a spring interposed between the valve and piston to cause the valve to partially close the exhaust as the piston approaches the end of its operating stroke, a fluid operated work clamping means, and means to simultaneously admit air to advance said slide toward said cutter and to force said clamping means against the work.

4. In a wood working machine of the character described, the combination of a work carrier, a slide, connections between the slide and work carrier, fluid pressure means for moving the slide and work carrier to cutting position, a fluid operated clamp for holding the work on the work carrier or form, and a control valve common to the fluid operated clamp and the fluid means for moving the slide to first cause the fluid operated clamp to clamp the work on the work carrier and then cause the work carrier to complete its movement to cutting position.

5. In a wood working machine of the character described, the combination of a work carrier, a slide, connections between the slide and Work carrier, fluid pressure means for moving the slide and work carrier to cutting position, a fluid op-' erated clamp for holding the work on the work carrier or form, a control valve common to the fluid operated clamp and the fluid means for moving the slide to first cause the fluid operated clamp to clamp the work on the Work carrier and then cause the work carrier to complete its movement to cutting position, and manually operated means in the fluid connections to said clamp whereby said clamp may be operated at different points in the movement of said slide.

WILLIAM M. WHITNEY. AUSTIN W. HAWES. 

